10 Tips for Selling on Kijiji

This week we offer 10 tips for selling on Kijiji—actions that sellers can take to produce quality leads and sales on this local classified ads network.

Use a template:  Mange multiple Kijiji ads by creating a basic template, in Word or even Notepad, that you can copy-and-paste into each ad you post.  The template should contain the basic information you carry over to each ad, such as contact information, pick-up and delivery details, and so on.  Save each ad you list in a file on your computer for future use.

Send ads to top category page: On some Kijiji sites, you might get an e-mail to let you know your listing has fallen off the first page for the category you have listed in, and an offer to “bump” your ad back to the main for a small fee of $1.99. You can bump the ad yourself by deleting it and reposting it as a new ad. If you have saved the ads in a template, you can put your item back on the main category page in seconds.

Don’t delete pending sale ads: Kijiji sellers can save time by not deleting an ad until the item has actually sold. Don’t delete the ad as soon as an e-mail comes in with a request to buy, as the person may never show up to get the item.  If you leave the ad online you can go back and respond to the second and subsequent requests after a “no-show.”

10 Tips for Selling on Kijiji
By Vangie Beal, July 1, 2009

WebPlus X2 Simplifies E-commerce Design

WebPlus X2 helps eBay and online sellers quickly design their own Web shop—complete with shopping cart, buy now and other e-commerce functions.

What makes WebPlus X2 stand out in a crowded software market is that it offers basic e-commerce functionality straight out of the box.

You can include e-commerce functions in your Web site by using the built-in WebPlus X2 PayPal wizard. The wizard correctly inserts all the information and functionality into your product pages for successful online selling.  WebPlus X2 also provides wizard functionality for Roman Cart and Mal’s Cart.

WebPlus X2 also supports larger stores and catalogues through its database merge technology. This lets retailers easily feature large amounts of database information, like product descriptions, pictures and prices.

Review: WebPlus X2 Simplifies E-commerce Design
By Vangie Beal, June 30, 2009

Survey Says: Trustmarks Increase Sales for E-tailers

A McAfee study indicates that security trustmarks build consumer confidence in online shopping.

A study released today by McAfee, Inc., and conducted by Harris Interactive, revealed that nearly half of consumers have terminated an online order or abandoned their shopping cart due to security fears at check-out time. Even when faced with the possibility of getting a really good deal online, sixty-three percent of shoppers say they won’t purchase from a Web site that does not display a trustmark or security policy, such as McAfee Secure for Web Sites.

Survey Says: Trustmarks Increase Sales for E-tailers
By Vangie Beal, June 29, 2009

Best Ecom Headline Ever!

Total hats off to Michelle Megna over at InternetNews.com. This has got to be one of the best e-com headlines I’ve seen this year:

E-Coupon Trend Grows at Rapid Clip
[June 26, 2009] The online coupon category experiences huge growth as whole new demographic discovers digital coupons.

I just love that headline!

Tips for Selling Crafts Online

This week we speak with James Dillehay, a nationally recognized expert on marketing arts and crafts, about how to successfully sell your crafts online.

Dillehay said that most artisans who are just getting started tend to look at one of two options for online craft sales;  creating their own Web site or setting up a new Web shop on an existing marketplace.  Those new to selling their crafts online tend to choose Web shops simply because it’s easy to get started—most Web shops have automated processes that let you list and sell in minutes with no previous online selling experience required.

Despite the popularity of using existing marketplaces, like eBay, Etsy, and other eBay alternatives, Dillehay recommended that crafters also invest in their own domain name and Web site, since the craft business online is largely connected to one’s own presence.

“It’s no longer a case of deciding if you should set-up shop here or there,” Dillehay said. “It’s a growing need of the ands. You need to show your product here, and here and here.”

Tips for Selling Crafts Online
By Vangie Beal, June 24, 2009

Secret-Shopper Expedition Reveals Live Chat Trends

A new online secret-shopper study shows retailers what customer communication tactics work best—and what retailers should avoid.

Smith’s secret-shopper experience found that retailers don’t always make it easy for shoppers to contact them by means other than phone support. Smith observed that most retailers prominently display toll-free numbers, but they tend to bury chat buttons and e-mail tools several layers deep in the Web site.

Secret-Shopper Expedition Reveals Live Chat Trends
By Vangie Beal, June 23, 2009

Silkfair Launches Custom Shops for Online Sellers

 Silkfair’s new custom-shop platform lets online sellers build a stand-alone e-commerce Web shop using their existing branding and domain name.

Custom Shops provides sellers with an online dashboard for managing their store. From one user-friendly interface you can set your store profile, add products and product categories, and see your transaction details, store statistics and other functions. You can activate many Custom Shop features, including the option to use your own domain name, with a single click from within the seller’s store dashboard.

When you first open your Custom Shop, Silkfair’s platform lets sellers add new products or import product list using the commonly used CSV format. Additionally, you can also use the platform’s eBay and Etsy importers to get products you currently have listed on those marketplaces added to your new Web shop. To use the automated importers, sellers simply need to provide their Etsy or eBay username in their account profile.

Silkfair Launches Custom Shops for Online Sellers
By Vangie Beal, June 18, 2009

Bidz.com Cashes in on Bling

We look at Bidz.com to find out how this gem of a company reached yearly sales of $207 million with live, online-jewelry auctions that start at a dollar.

The big incentive for consumers to buy on Bidz.com is that they can bid on jewelry with just a dollar – and we’re talking jewelry that typically retails for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. At any given time you can expect to see 2,000 or more items open for bids on the site.

Bidz.com turns a profit even when selling product below market value because the company buys direct from manufacturers—this includes distressed products, manufacturer overruns and closeout merchandise.

Kuperman said that the dynamic-pricing business model is why Bidz.com can offer such extreme value to its customers. Offering well-known brand names on the site helps bring repeat customers back to bid and purchase.

eBiz Profile: Bidz.com Cashes in on Bling
By Vangie Beal, June 17, 2009

eBay Sellers Prep for $25K Challenge and Policy Changes

This week in eBay news the company announces a Seller’s Challenge that awards entrepreneurs with $25,000 grants. Also, the auction site’s latest policy changes roll out next week.

eBay Sellers Prep for $25K Challenge and Policy Changes
By Vangie Beal, June 10, 2009

HeyButler.com Targets Visitors with Concentri

Concentri, an on-demand direct digital marketing platform, lets you target customers in e-mail, on their mobile phone or even on your Web site—without the hassle of a site redesign.

Direct digital marketing is marketing that is addressable—meaning you can identify the recipient of the marketing message being distributed. Traditional direct marketing is achieved using a customer’s postal address. With the evolution of direct marketing to direct digital marketing, Knotice CEO Brian Deagan says that addressability comes in one of three forms; an e-mail address, a Web browser cookie, or a mobile phone number.

HeyButler.com Targets Visitors with Concentri
By Vangie Beal, June 9, 2009

EBay Listing Tips and Seller Promotions

 This week HammerTap dispels the myth that Sunday is the best day to end listings on eBay, and the auction giant announces June promotions to save sellers listing fees.

According to Sean Eyring, an eBay certified consultant, many eBay sellers mistakenly believe that Sunday is the best day of the week to end your eBay listing. This myth came from an announcement eBay made some time ago that the site’s highest traffic day is Sunday. Eyring says that the highest traffic day on eBay doesn’t mean that everyone is making a purchase on that day.

EBay Listing Tips and Seller Promotions
By Vangie Beal, June 3, 2009

What’s That Mean? 3,700 File Extensions Defined

Ever encounter a file extension you’ve never seen before? Check this Webopedia Quick Reference for more 3,700 data formats and their corresponding file extensions.

IMshopping Adds a Human Touch to Online Shopping

With human-powered shopping advice, IMshopping offers benefits for consumers, ad opportunities for retailers—and it’s available on Twitter.

IMshopping was developed to bring the same level of personalized assistance to online shoppers that consumers expect to find at brick-and-mortar stores. On the IMshopping Web site, consumers ask shopping questions, and a staff of human shopping guides answers them.

The Web site offers responses and recommendations to more than 20,000 questions, such as “Can you help me find good men’s watches?” and “Where can I find the best iPhone deal?”

For each question asked, a human IMshopping guide or community member provides a brief summary and can also link to products he or she recommends.

IMshopping Adds a Human Touch to Online Shopping
By Vangie Beal, June 1, 2009

Ebay Watch: eBay and Online Marketplace News

This week eBay wraps up user agreement revisions and iOffer launches a new bulk uploader. Plus we take a look at a new niche site for buying and selling used medical equipment.

In other online marketplace news, iOffer has announced a bulk editor that will help its sellers to edit multiple item listings more easily and also to maintain current inventory. With the bulk editor, iOffer says that sellers can update an item’s price, quantity, condition, description and shipping in three simple steps, allowing sellers to focus on marketing and customer satisfaction.

Another handy feature, shipping profiles, lets sellers create multiple profiles and apply them to different listings. For example, you may want to specify some items for international shipping, or you might want to apply free shipping on other listings. With this new feature, you can attach a shipping profile to existing or new item listings.

Ebay Watch: eBay and Online Marketplace News
By Vangie Beal, May 27, 2009

Three For Free: Web Tools for Your Business Site or Blog

Every Web shop owner needs a little help now and again, especially when you want to boost your site’s functionality and visual appeal on a small budget. 

In this roundup, we provide an overview three tools that you can download—or easily add to your site with cut-and-paste code. Best of all, they’re free to try and, if you want access to all the tools’ features, inexpensive to license.

Three For Free: Web Tools for Your Business Site or Blog
By Vangie Beal, May 26, 2009